Wagon end-gate



(No Model.)

L. 8v H. I'. BUESING,

WAGON END GATE.

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2. t Dv e h S Lm. e e h S 2 G. N. TLB SM. mnu@ BD N .E FN .w HA &W L. d.d 0 M 0 W Patented Jan. 12, 18912.

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UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE.

LOUIS BUESING AND HERMAN F. BUESNG, OF \VAVERLY, IOVA.

WAGON EN D-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 466,885, dated January12, 1892.

Application tiled January 28, 1891. Serial No. 379,459. (No model.)

To all zul/1,0m it may concern,.-

Be it known that we, LOUIS BUESING and HERMAN F. BUESING, of Waverly,county of Bremen, and State of Iowa, have invented a new and usefulEnd-Gate for lVagons, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to that class of attachments for wagons in whichthe end-gate and shoveling-board may be combined.

Our invention has for its object the provision of means by which a tightjoint between the end-gate `and the transverse rear end of the bottomvof the wagon is eifected, by which the appliances necessary to employthe end-gate as a shovelingboard are adj usted in place, by which theend-board is automatically secured in a locked position and released orunlocked from one point by the operator, and in certain other advantagesto be hereinafter specifically set forth.

Our invention consists, first, in strap-irons secured to the end-gate onthe outer or under side thereof, the free ends of which are bossed andpivoted to angle-irons secured in a vertical position on the outer sideof the side of the boards of the wagon in forming the rear transverseedge of the bottom of the wagon convex to fit into and mate with thetransverse concave edge of that portion of the endgate adjacent to theformer, said angle-irons and straps being of such construction as thatthe mating convex and concave edges fit snugly and thus provide a tightjoint; secondly, in the hooking-irons secured to the inside of the sidesof the wagolrbox, and the combination of said hooking-irons with theouter angleirons and their relative positions and functions on each sideof the sides of the wagonbox; thirdly, in the plurality of pivotedlockinglevers acted upon by yielding pressure to normally hold thelevers in position to antomatically engage the hooking-irons and soarranged and combined as to permit the disengagement of all of thelockingdevers unitedly from one point of operation 5 fourthly, in theform of strapdrons having at their upper ends lugs extending angularlytherefrom, said lugs havin g eyes or perforations therein,the form erbeing adapted to pass through slots in the upper or suppiemental boardof the end-gate to which said irons are secured, together with sleevesor sockets in the lower board adapted to receive the lower ends. of thesaid irons, which latter serve both to hold in place the upper board andalso to aid in securing in place the side pieces or plates, to whichreference is about to be made, and, fifthly, in the side pieces orplates adapted to be adjusted in place when the end-gate is to betransformed into a shoveling-board, said side pieces being angular inform and having a segmental slotted rim, together with means forremovably and convenient-ly adjusting the side pieces in place on theend-gate and in holding the same at Varying angles in the removal of thewagon load.

Our invention consists, further, in certain details of construction andcombinations and arrangements, to be hereinafter more particularlydescribed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-`Figure l is an end elevation of our improved end-gate andshoveling-board, showing'the locking-levers engaged and holding theend-gate in its closed position. Fig.2 is a side elevation showing theend-gate transferred into a shoveling-board, the side plates being inposition. Fig. is a sectional view on the line x ai, Fig. l. Fig. t is adetail View ofthe irons for detachably holding the supplemental endboardin position. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail perspective view showing therelative positions of the angle-irons and hooking-irons to each otherand to the sides of the wagon-box, which latter is indicated by thedotted lilies. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of the upper end of thebar to which the handlever unlocking the end-gate is attached. Fig. 7 isa detail enlarged View showing the means for detachably holding one endof the side plates or pieces.

l designates the lower board of the endgate, and 2 the supplementalboard thereof.

3, 4., 5, and t are sets of locking-levers, each pair being adapted tolock and secure the end-gate in position automatically in manner to bedescribed, it being obvious, however, that the upper pair 3 and fl ofthe levers are removable with the upper or supplemental board 2, byremoving the pin 7, Fig. G, holding the slotted lower ends of the levers3 and 4 together.

Before proceeding further with the description of the levers and meansof operating same we will iirst describe the means of joining` theend-board to the wagon-box.

The side-board of the wagon-box is shown at 8, above which is thesupplemental or top board 9. Upon each of the outersides of thewagon-boxand secured vertically at the rear ends of the lowerside-boards S are the angleirons 10, which latter have their upper endsformed with lugs 11, adapted to engage over the upper edge of the lowerside-boards S of the wagon-box, Fig. 5. The lower ends of saidangle-irons have formed therewith lugs 12, having eyes or perfor-ations.The strapirons 13 are secured to the under and outer side of theend-board 1, the said irons terminating within the sockets or clips 14,as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. The remaining endsof saidstrap-irons 13, located at the inner and lower edge of the end-board 1,are bossed into a semicircular form l5, Fig. 5, the adjustment beingsuch that the edge of the wagon-bottom, formed convex, as shown in Fig.3, conforms to the circularity ot' said bossed portions 15 of thestrap-irons 13, thus at all times maintainingatightjoint between thelower inner edge of the end-gate, which is formed concave, and the rearconvex edge of the bottom of the wagon. A bolt 16 is provided, whichscrews into the bossed portions 15 and forms the pivotal connectionbetween the angle-irons 10 and the said bossed end 15 of the straps 13.

"We provide two reinforcing strap-irons 17 and 18, Fig. 3, secured,respectively, upon the end -board and the bottom of the wagon, thesestrap-irons 17 and 18 extending transversely of the end-board andwagon-bottom.

Secured vertically upon the inner side of the sideboards 3 are thehooking-irons 19, which also have the lugs 20, Fig. 5, engaging over theupper edge of the side-boards 8, being located slightly in the rear otthe angleirons 10, both the angle-irons and the hooking-irons having thebolts 21 22, which extend through the transverse cleat 23, located onthe under side of the wagon-bottom, being secured by nuts in this mannerat their lower extremities. At the upper portion of the hooking-irons 19are the notched hookingbars 24, extending at right angles from theformer and adapted to pass through and beyond coinciding perforations inthe end-gate 1 when the latter is closed.

Vhen the supplemental boards 9 are used, additional hooking-bars 25,secured to said boards, extend and pass through and beyond coincidingperforations in the end-board 2 when the end-gate is closed.

Referring to Fig. 1, the upper end portions of the pairs of levers 3, 4,5, and 6 are respectively bent near their upper extremities, the lowerextremities of levers 3 and 4 being slotted and held on the upper end ofthe vertical bar 26 by means of the hooked end 27 of the upper portionof the vertical bar 26, Fig. 6, extending through the said slots of thelevers 3 and 4, and held in place by means of pin 7, the said lower endof the levers thus having a slight play ou the end of the bar 26. Thelevers 3 and 4 are pivoted in the clips 2S on the end-board 2, and theirupper ends passed through the clips 29. The levers 5 and 6 are bentsomewhatdifferently than levers 3 and 4 and are pivoted in the clips 30,their ends being extended, as shown, through a slot 31, Fig. 6, in thebar 26, so as to givea slight play thereof, their upper ends extendingthrough theclips 32. A socket is provided through which the bar 26passes, said socket being secured to the end-board 1, and havingdisposed within its interior the spring 34, coiled about the bar 26, thesaid spring 34 bearing at its lower end against the lower end of thesocket 33 and at its upperv end against the bar 26. Secured to the lowerend of the bar 26 is a hand-lever 35, pivoted at 36 on the board 1.

The supplemental end-board 2 is detach- I ably secured to the lowerend-board 1 by means of sockets 14 and the irons 36, (shown in detail inFig. 4,) having lugs 37, formed therewith, perforated at theirouterends, said irons 36 being secured to the end-board 2 and theirlugs 37passing through and held within perforations in 'the said end-board 2.

The side plates or pieces 38 (shown in position in Figs. 2 and 3) are ofangular form, their outer perimeters describinga quad-rant oi' a circleand havinga slotted rim 39, the said side pieces 3S being detachablyfastened in place on the end-gate bymeans of hooks 38a, engaging'theeyes or perforation in the lugs 37 of theirons 36 and the angle-irons40, Fig. 7, secured to the side plates 3S, the bent ends of the saidangle-irons, 40 engaging clips 41, secured to the lower board 1 of theendgate. A reinforcing-strap that has a hook at its lower end projectingoutward is fixed to the end of the sheet-metal plate to preventit. frombending, and by means of the hook on its end to aid in detachablysecuring the metal plate to the end-gate to facilitate the adjustment ofthe end-gate and to aid in supporting the end-gate in a horizontalposition and also in fastening it securely in a closed position.

The upper rim of the side plates 3S is adjustably held on the sides ofthe wagon-box by means of the thumb-screws 42, Fig. 2, engagingscrew-threaded perforations 43 44, Figs. 2 and 3, the one 43 passingthrough the bar 45, which latter, secured to upper board 9, is employedin conjunction with the bar 46, se cured to the said side-board 9 on theinner side thereof to hold the board 9 on the lower board 8, the innerend of the thumb-screws 42 engaging the hooking-bar 25. The perforation44 passes through side-board 3 into 'and through the said hooking-bar25.

47 are plate-pieces so formed as to normally press against theside-boards 8 and bind the plate-pieces 38 against the saidside-boardswhen the end-gate is nearly or entirely closed.

The operation of our improved devices is IOO IIO

as follows: Referring to Fig. l, the .spring 34, tending to distendvertically', normally presses upwardly upon the bar 26. This causes thelevers 3, 4, 5, and 6 to assume the position shown in said figure.ing-bars 24 and 25, Figs. 3 and 5, pass through the coinciding slots inthe upper and lower end-boards l and 2, their beveled ends engag-Y ing,respectively, under the edges of the levers 3, 4, 5, and 6, which latterride over said bevels, compressing the spring until the notches in thehooking-bars are reached, when said levers drop into the notches by theaction of the spring and lock the end-gate in position, holding the sametogethor closed and free from rattling. In order to unlock and open theendgate, the operator pulls downwardly upon the lever 35, attached tothe bar 26, thus actuating the levers, 3, 4, 5, and 6 upon their pivots28 and 30, causing their ends to describe a vertical are and disengagingthem from the notches in the hooking-bars 24 and 25 and at the same.

time compressing the spring 34. It is thus apparent that the end-gate isautomatically and securelylocked in its closed position and unlocked tobe opened from one point of operation. The top or supplemental board 2of the end-gate may be separated by disconnecting the lower ends of thelevers 3 and 4 from the end of the vertical bar 2G and withdrawing theirons 36 from the sockets 14, secured to the lower end-board l.

It will be observed by reference to Fig. 3 that a tight joint is at alltimes preserved, whatever may be the relative position of the end-gateto the rear bottom edge of the Wagon by virtue of the form of thepivotal connections between the strap-irons 13 andthe angle-irons l0 andthe convexity of the edge of the wagon-bottom and the concavity of thelower and inner edge of the end-gate.

The perforated lugs 39 of the connectingirons 36, protruding beyond theinner and upper face of the end-board, provide eyes to receive hooks onthe side plates 38, and, together with strap-irons 40, the lower bentportions of which engage the clips 38, serve to detachably hold the sidepieces on the endgate. D When the end-gate is in the position shown inFig. 2, we prefer to adjustably hold the side pieces38 to theside-boards 8 and 9 by the thumb-screw 42, passed through the slottedrim 39 and engaged in the screw-threaded hole 42; but when the end-gateand shovel ing-board are adjusted at any other angle we engage thethumb-screws in the hole 44, and by simply looseningsaid screws 42 adjust the side pieces 38 at varying angles, the screws remaining in thesame position. When the side pieces 38 engage the plate-pieces 48, theyare caused to hug the sides 8 of the wagon-box, and thus keep fromrattling.

The angle-irons 10 and the hooking-irons 19 serve to hold theside-boards 8 perpendicularly between them.

In closing, the hook` CAS Having thus described our invention,what weclaim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, isM

l. A wagon end-gate having a concave 7o `groove in its lower edge, andirons xed to the end-gate, having eyes in concentric position with saidconcave groove, in combination with a Wagon-box having the rear edge ofits bottom convex and irons fixed to the sides of the 7 5 box andprovided with perforated ears pivoted to the eyesprojecting from theend-gate to concentrically connect the grooved edge of the end-gate withthe convex edge of the rear end of the box and to maintain a tight joint8o to pi vot an end-gate thereto, a screw-threaded 8 5 lower end, and ahook at its top end, said strap being fixed to the outside face of theside-board of a wagon-box and its hook extending inward to engage thetop of the sideboard, a corresponding metal strap having a 9o lateralprojection at its top portion adapted to engage a latch carried by anend-gate fixed to the inside face of the same board and the hook at itstop end extended outward to engage the top edge of the side-board, and across-bar fixed to the bottom of the box and the screw-threaded ends ofthe two metal r straps extended through bores in said crossbar anddetachably fastened thereto by means of nuts, and an end-gate carryingalatch and roo pivoted to the lateral extension of the metal strap fixedto the outside of the side-board, to operate in the manner set forth,for the purposes stated.

3. A metal strap having a perforated ear at :o5

its lower end adapted for hinging an end-gate thereto, said strap beingfixed to the outside face of the side-board of a wagon-box, acorresponding metal strap xed to the inside face mi of the same boardand having a hook pro- 11o jeoted at right angles therefrom, an end-gatehaving openings to admit said hooks, hinged to the perforated ear of thestrap on the outside of the box, and a latch on the outside of theend-gate to engage said hook, arranged and combined to operate in themanner set forth, for the purposes stated.

4. The combination, in a wagon end-gate, of a plurality of leverspivoted on the outer side of the end-gate,a vertical bar connected 12odetachably to said levers, and aspring acting upon the said bar tonormally cause the said levers to engage hooking-bars on the wagonbox,together with a hand-lever for unlocking said levers from one point ofoperation, as set r2 5 admit the ends of the latches fixed to the end13o portions of the board to project downward, in combination with anend-gate having sockets -to admit the downward projections of said fixedirons, to operate in the mannerset forth, for the purposes stated.

6. A Wagon end-gate hinged to the rear end and bottom of a Wagon-box andhaving perforated irons projecting. inward from its inside face and endportion, sheet-metal plates, each having two straight edges and a curvededge and a slot extending along the curved edge,a reinforcing metalstrap fixed to the curved edge, hooks projecting outward from one of thestraight edges and adapt-ed to enter the perforatious in the irons fixedto the inside faces of the end-gate, irons ixed to the outsides of theside-boards of the box to overlap the curved edge of the metal plateswhen the gate is closed, andscrews extending through the slots in theplates into screwseats fixed to the side-boards of the box, arranged andcombined to operate in the manner set forth, for the purposesst-ated.

LOUIS BUESING. HERMAN F. BUESING. TWitnesses:

C. C. BULKLEY, THOMAS G. ORWIG.

